Whenever my family gets together for the holidays, the challenge is being able to fit in one car. Granted there are only six of us, and five of us are pretty short (my dad is only 5 feet 6 inches). But at 6 feet, my brother-in-law, the fireman, needs some extra space. So, six is more of a challenge than you’d think.
When I had the opportunity to drive the 2009 Suzuki XL7 home for Thanksgiving, I was elated. Finally an opportunity to test one of these seven-passenger crossovers with enough people to fill it.
2009 Suzuki XL7
Engine: 3.6-liter V-6 VVT DOHC
Transmission: 6-speed automatic with manual control
Drivetrain: FWD, AWD
Horsepower: 252
Torque: 243 lb.-ft.
Wheelbase: 112.4 inches
Length: 197.2 inches
Width: 72.2 inches
Height: 68.9 inches
Base price: $26,345
As-tested price: $30,133
The first test: Black Friday.
We all piled in the XL7 with relative comfort: two in the front, two in the middle and two in the rear. Leg room for front, middle and rear rows are 41.2 inches, 38.8 inches and 30.9 inches respectively. Being the shortest of the brood at almost 5 feet tall, I noticed that I fit perfectly in the third row. I had plenty of knee room, and the seats were stiff, but mostly comfortable. My sisters, however, who are 5 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 5 inches, respectively, were a bit cramped.
Plus, ingress and egress to that third row are downright difficult. You have to flip the middle seat forward in a two-step process, climb up into the cabin and then clamber through a narrow space into the back row. The bonus is that the rear-seat passengers don’t have to rely on the middle-row passengers to let them out. The two-step process can be performed with relative ease while sitting in the third row.
The other thing my family and I noted was the difficulty of carrying on a conversation between the first row and third row. With the heat running full force it was virtually impossible, and a plethora of “whats” passed back and forth with the middle row serving as translator. There also was some squeakage that we noted from the third row that couldn’t be heard from the front row.
After a day of shopping, we were able to cram our holiday packages in the 14.0-cubic-foot rear cargo area and still seat six. We only hit one mall, however, and had a moderate amount of packages.
On day two of holiday shopping, we were down two passengers and ended up using not only the rear cargo area, but also the rear seat to store our purchases. Fourteen cubic feet apparently isn’t that much space when you have six shoe boxes (five of them boot boxes) and can only stack items vertically. Can we help it Nordstrom had a really, really good sale?
The second test: A four-hour road-trip to Toledo to visit my uncle.
Though my bother-in-law had to work the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I have to admit the XL7 is perfect for five as well. Two in the front, two in the middle, and one sprawled in the back. I remember road trips as a kid in a large sedan where I had to sit scrunched in the center with my hands on my lap and my feet on the hump … for hours and hours and hours. Oh, the joys of being the youngest child. But even a youngest child in a family of five would have a place to call her own in the XL7.
My family, bless their hearts, slept most of the way to Toledo. So, sans radio, conversation and other distracting noises, I noticed a couple of noteable sounds from the driver’s seat. The first was tire noise. As long as we were on freshly paved, smooth surfaces, it was extremely quiet and almost lulling. But, let’s be honest, how many freshly paved surfaces are there in Chicagoland? So, on those rough-hewn surfaces, there was some definite tire feedback slapping and whirring on the pavement that came through to the cabin. The other was engine noise. At a constant speed it was nice and quiet, but with a hint of acceleration, engine noise traveled into the cabin loud and clear.
There are three trim levels for the XL7: Premium, Luxury and Limited. All trim levels are available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations. The Premium model, with a base price of $26,345, comes standard with automatic climate control, rear air conditioning with separate HVAC controls, auto on/off headlamps, cruise control and trip computer with driver information center. The Luxury model has a base price of $27,929 and adds standard features such as leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, steering wheel audio controls and sunroof. The Limited model, with a base price of $28,780, and includes navigation, remote start, premium audio system, 17-inch chrome wheels and upgraded roof rack as standard fare.
The test vehicle was an all-wheel drive (AWD) Luxury model with a base price of $29,579. Since this model came pretty well stocked, it only had a few minor options: floor mats and cargo net ($199), Pearl White paint ($200) and front and rear brush plates ($155). The as-tested price of the vehicle was $30,133. Really, since the heated seats were standard, I really didn’t need or want anything else and could have done without the options. So, while the navigation system would be nice, it’s not necessary. We used my sister’s portable Garmin to get to and from my uncle’s, and it worked just fine.
During the test period, I drove from Chicago to Indianapolis, Indianapolis to Toledo, back to Indianapolis from Toledo and then, finally, back to Chicago from Indianapolis. I didn’t have a lot of city driving in the test car, especially not in Chicago, but I can report that the XL7 is comfortable for the long haul … even if the fuel economy wasn’t quite what I’d hoped it would be. With mostly highway driving, I only averaged about 18 mpg. The EPA estimates that the AWD model should get city/highway mileage numbers of 16/23 mpg. I should point out that speed limits in Indiana are higher than Illinois, and I was averaging 75 to 80 mph.
The last test: The drive back to Chicago.
Weighted down with my backpack, gym bag, Christmas presents, shoe boxes and booty from a trip to Target, I began the trek back to Chicago Sunday night as the snow and icy rain began to fall. Traffic was moving pretty well on I-65, but the slick spots were definitely there and the precipitation kept the windshield wipers moving.
The AWD test vehicle maneuvered well in the inclement weather, and when I saw others slowing down, I was able to maintain the speed limit safely.
The XL7 comes equipped with a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that delivers 252 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. This was more than adequate for a vehicle weighing just more than 4,000 pounds. Acceleration was peppy, and I had no difficulty picking up the pace to pass in traffic.
The minimal Chicago driving that I did found the XL7 to be nimble enough for tight city driving and compact enough for city parking.
While I wouldn’t choose this midsize crossover for a single person who lives in the city, it’s one of those perfect vehicles for a family of four or more. And with a total cargo volume of 95.2 cubic feet, there’s plenty of space for those special trips to Ikea or Home Depot. Both the interior and exterior are well-styled, and other than some of the noise issues, I’d be hard-pressed to spout anything negative about this vehicle.
Suzuki has done a great job with the XL7, and if you’re in the market for a seven-passenger vehicle you should put this crossover on you list of cars to test.
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